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unclepete
Starting member
Australia
23 Posts |
 Posted - 29/01/2012 : 08:39:01
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I've been trying for some time now to discover the truth about my Great Grandfather George Leth. He claimed he was a cabin boy on a sailing ship around 1870 and told family he escaped in Australia aged 16. I'm trying to trace his life as a boy in Norway to discover if he was recruited to the navy at 16 as was normal and deserted in Australia or was he actually a cabin boy on a commercial vessel as he told my mother many years ago and jumped ship in Port Adelaide to find gold in new South Wales.
His correct name is Jorgen Emil Leth, born 25th October 1854, ch; 3/12/1854 at Tromoy. His father was Samuel Nikolai Leth (died 28th April 1864).
The only other record I have of him is the 1865 census for Ostre Moland, Aust Agder.
http://digitalarkivet.uib.no/cgi-win/webcens.exe?slag=visbase&sidenr=10&filnamn=f60918&gardpostnr=30&sokefelt=skjul
Is there a record of his recruitment somewhere or a ships crew list with his name?
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unclepete |
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Hopkins
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
3351 Posts |
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Kåarto
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
5861 Posts |
Posted - 29/01/2012 : 17:43:59
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Not much info on your Leth family or Jørgen Emil online.
Meanwhile I have some add. info reg his brother Jens Leth age 13 in the 1865 census. He was born in Warmekrogen Oct. 2. 1852 and bap. Jens Martin on Dec. 5.
He em. to Montana, USA, June 1903 from Arendal town, occ was "Styrmand" Chief mate, see Link
Kåre |
Edited by - Kåarto on 29/01/2012 17:46:23 |
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unclepete
Starting member
Australia
23 Posts |
Posted - 29/01/2012 : 22:22:39
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Thanks Hopkins, I have read the article on Maritime Inscription and it made me keen to search the registers, especially the 'Sjøfartsannotasjonsrulle' (youngster roll) but I couldn't access them anywhere. After searching the internet for some time yesterday I finally discovered the registers are held locally in each districts Regional State Archive.
I've sent an email to the The Regional State Archives in Kristiansand requesting access to the rolls. It seems I've had my 'free fun' until now and might have to start paying for the information I seek as is the case in Scotland and England. Thanks
Thanks too Kaarto, this is good information about Jens and Nils. When I complete the Norway - Australia story I will pursue my relatives in the USA as I have a brother who has lived in California for many years.
Pete |
unclepete |
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unclepete
Starting member
Australia
23 Posts |
Posted - 15/02/2012 : 07:20:14
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I've uncovered so much new information this year about Jorgen Emil Leth and his family from Arendal but.... each new discovery brings a new question. The Kristiansand Archives have revealed the following information.
Jorgen Emil Leth, D.O.B. 25/10/1854, address Tromoe 7 Kittelsbuktveien Arendal and the number 3687. This number must be his seaman’s number as it also appears on the Hovedrulle records later.
Annotasjonsrulle – Sailing dates from Arendal, Ships names and Destinations:
1. 30/6/1870 – Jlos? – Ostersvien? (could he have sailed to Ostersund Sweden, it seems to be inland or could this be Ostersund Vasa, Finland)
2. 13/7/1871 – George? – Belgien
3. 22/4/1872 – Louvain – Lowen
Hovedrulle – Sailing dates from Arendal, Ships names and Destinations as a Qualified Seaman
1. 7/5/1873 – Norden – Ostersund
2. 2/5/1874 – M (Marco) Polo – Revella (Could this be Seville in Spain)
3. 8/5/1876 – Alloubie? – Ostersund
4. 19/5/1877 – Postperium? – Ostersund
5. 18/6/1878 – Reverendus – Belgien
6. 20/5/1879 – Lorenzo – America where it says he ‘romt’ or jumped ship in New York on 11/8/1879. He then disappears until he is named as Father on the birth record of George Leth in NSW Australia dated 1885.
Jorgen’s Great Grandfather was Merchant Isaac Leth, former Arendal Stadthauptmann, Leader of the Citizens Military Force, Danish Vice-Consul and Business partner of Salve Johannessen Kallevig. Isaac’s daughter became Catherine (Kitty) Kallevig and Arendal’s Society Queen when she married Salve’s son Consul Morten Michael Kallevig and they built their new home, now the ‘Old Arendal Town Hall’ between 1812-1815.
In 1815 'Salve Kallevig and Son' owned and operated Arendal’s largest fleet of 15 Ships.
Did the Kallevigs still own ships in the 1870s and could Jorgen Leth have worked for them... If not who owned the ships Jorgen sailed in? Were they steam or sail, what did they carry, how big were they and where could I find pictures of them??? So many questions to answer.
They’re not on emigrant or immigrant passenger or ships lists of Norway or other countries websites I can find so I assume they were smaller merchant vessels or perhaps naval Ships. Can anyone help me please?
Pete
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unclepete |
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jkmarler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
7790 Posts |
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unclepete
Starting member
Australia
23 Posts |
Posted - 15/02/2012 : 17:27:35
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Yes, I've already checked that census with several different spelling options but no luck. As he was an illegal immigrant I suspect he avoided detection or might have already been on his way to Australia by the time the Census was taken.
As an experienced seaman I assume he could have got work aboard the next ship out of New York and might then have jumped ship again in Port Adelaide Australia as he told my mother when she was a child. My efforts now are discovering if there are any American records of Ships leaving New York for Australia between august 1879 and November 1884 when his son was conceived :) ... or if he would have needed to travel to the west coast to do that.
The Marco Polo was a very famous ship and in 1852 was hailed the fastest ship in the world when she became the first ship to circumnavigate the world in less than 6 months. There is little or no record of her ownership between 1874 and 1881 after she was reduced to Barque rigging and transported mostly coal and guano instead of passengers. She was sold to Captain Bull at Christiania in 1882 and shipwrecked in 1883. Still looking for the others.
Thanks again, Pete |
unclepete |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 15/02/2012 : 23:40:57
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quote:
Originally posted by unclepete
Annotasjonsrulle – Sailing dates from Arendal, Ships names and Destinations:
1. 30/6/1870 – Jlos? – Ostersvien? (could he have sailed to Ostersund Sweden, it seems to be inland or could this be Ostersund Vasa, Finland)
2. 13/7/1871 – George? – Belgien
3. 22/4/1872 – Louvain – Lowen
Hovedrulle – Sailing dates from Arendal, Ships names and Destinations as a Qualified Seaman
1. 7/5/1873 – Norden – Ostersund
2. 2/5/1874 – M (Marco) Polo – Revella (Could this be Seville in Spain)
3. 8/5/1876 – Alloubie? – Ostersund
4. 19/5/1877 – Postperium? – Ostersund
5. 18/6/1878 – Reverendus – Belgien
6. 20/5/1879 – Lorenzo – America where it says he ‘romt’ or jumped ship in New York on 11/8/1879. He then disappears until he is named as Father on the birth record of George Leth in NSW Australia dated 1885.
Regarding the Ships names and Destinations, do you have an image or something of your findings, to let others try to interpret the names?
It would help to get the exact name of the ships.
And the destination was for sure not Ostersund, Sweden. No ship from Arendal can get to that city. And not from any other city for that matter. The only boats in Ostersund are from the local lake.
The Kallevig shipping industry ended in 1962, when the last holder, John Salve Kallevig, died.
The Kallevig farm, built 1812-1815. Arendal City Hall (1844-2004)
The highest wooden building (4 floors) ever built in Norway.
Jan Peter |
Edited by - jwiborg on 15/02/2012 23:51:45 |
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unclepete
Starting member
Australia
23 Posts |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 16/02/2012 : 13:17:14
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I don't think (or hope) that we can access your gmail account...
Jan Peter |
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unclepete
Starting member
Australia
23 Posts |
Posted - 16/02/2012 : 15:56:19
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Can you access the Annotasjonsrulle or Hovedrulle with the references I've given. They were emailed to me from the Kristiansand District Archives
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unclepete |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 16/02/2012 : 18:00:52
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No.
I guess the reason why they sent them by mail to you, is that the documents are not available online. If they were; I assume they would have sent you a link to the docs instead.
Jan Peter |
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Young Jorgen Emil Leth from Arendal
